Windy City Gridiron
The NFL postseason is underway, and Super Wild Card Weekend did not disappoint. Of the six games, the first four came down to the final drive of the game. Away teams won three of the first five games, and a few playoff newcomers advanced to the Divisional Round. With another jam-packed weekend ahead, we’ll dissect the eight remaining teams while providing some parting thoughts on the six teams that were eliminated on the weekend in this installment of our WCG Power Rankings, playoff edition.
Ranking The Remaining 8-Team Playoff Field
**1. Seattle Seahawks (14-3)
Seattle was one of two teams on a bye, thanks to earning the No. 1 seed, but they have to feel great about their rematch with the 49ers. Not only will San Francisco come into Saturday banged up, but they’ve lost even more offensive firepower with tight end George Kittle tearing his Achilles on Sunday afternoon. The biggest question I have surrounding the Seahawks is how quarterback Sam Darnold will look in Year 2 of his postseason experience. Last year did not go well, and even with home-field advantage and an elite defense, they’ll need above-average quarterback play to advance to the Championship round.
**2. Denver Broncos (14-3)
Up next is another team that was on a bye for Wild Card weekend. Unlike the Seahawks, the Broncos can’t be thrilled with their upcoming matchup. For my money, the Bills are the AFC’s most dangerous team, even if their path to the Super Bowl is on the road. Denver’s defense is elite, but can Bo Nix go toe-to-toe with Josh Allen if needed? That’s the big question heading into Saturday. Denver is yet another place where home-field advantage has an extra edge, but Buffalo is as battle-tested as they come.
**3. Los Angeles Rams (12-5)
For a second straight matchup, the Rams and Panthers came down to the final drive of the game. Unlike in the regular season, Los Angeles came out on top and will now head to Chicago for a favorable matchup on Sunday. Quarterback Matthew Stafford wasn’t at his best last Saturday. Although he finished the game with 304 passing yards and three touchdowns, his accuracy was off, and he threw an uncharacteristic interception. I’ll always bet on experienced quarterbacks with a postseason track record, but if they plan to move on much further, they’re going to need to be better than they were against the Panthers.
**4. New England Patriots (14-3)
Of all the games to happen over the weekend (not counting Monday night), the Patriots won most convincingly. Even so, there was something left to be desired, which is why they moved down a spot in this week’s rankings. Their road to the Super Bowl appears easier on paper than the Broncos, but the Texans will be a challenging task, especially considering how strong Houston’s defense is. Quarterback Drake Maye got better as the game went on, but against a more complete team, turning it over two times might be enough to...
